The Final Eternal Dream Chapter 2
by dounya
Summary: “No! Don’t leave me, Riff! You’ve promised me! You’ve promised me, Riff....that you’ll be always there for me.....”


Scene Two: „Lost"

He woke up and noticed that it was raining. The deafening sounds of thunder and lightening could not be overheard, they were so loud and alarming. The room was very dark and only some streetlights outside were weakly lightening his chamber.

The Count stood up and wanted to look outside from a window, however, he recognized that all the curtains were closed. That was maybe also a reason why his room was darker than ever.

"So it was Riff who closed them?", thought Cain to himself

"...He entered my room...."

And for a moment, Cain was smiling in an unusual gentle manner.

Just now, he remembered that he hadn't covered himself at all when he had fallen asleep, but it was different as he woke up. Suddenly, a sentiment of relief and security was passing through Cain. He decided to go far away from the window because he didn't want to look outside anymore...

.... He simply didn't want that wonderful and warm feeling being destroyed by the sight of the cold and dark weather...

Before he returned sitting on his bed, he had approached the clock in order to check the time. He hardly saw something, but it must have been around three at night. Cain was a bit confused as he never thought that he had slept that much.

For quiet a long time, he didn't do anything except sitting on his bed and looking down to the ground. The Count wasn't tired anymore.

Suddenly, he stood up and headed for the door, hypnotized, as if he was a little boy following a charming flute. He left his room letting the door open and now, he was walking through the long corridor which appeared to be a deep cave because of the dense darkness. Cain was feeling his way through touching the wall in order to keep orientation. He walked and walked until he reached the last room of the corridor....

...It was the room he searched...it was Riff's room.

Cain only wanted to stand or sit next to the door of Riff's chamber until that unbearable darkness at least disappeared a bit....

He was sure that if he was near his manservant, he wouldn't really become aware of those terrible surroundings. But he also knew that this behaviour was weak and unusual for him.

Suddenly, Cain noticed light coming out under the door.

"....Is he still awake?", wondered Cain.

He couldn't control himself, but hurried up knocking on his manservant's door even if he was a bit ashamed of himself.

But there was no response.

All of a sudden, Cain heard something which sounded like glass bottles that had been shifted quickly on a table. He knocked again and still there was no answer.

The Count couldn't explain, but somehow he had a terrible feeling inside and his heart began beating faster than before. After all, he had heard sounds coming out from the room so Riff must have been in there. But why was he ignoring his knockings? Cain couldn't stay calm so he simply tried to open the door, but...

" ....The door is closed,.... why?"

Cain was really worrying about his servant now. His heart turned heavy and his face looked like the one of a desperate person whom one had taken away every property. That wasn't like Riff. He surely knew that his master was the one knocking on the door so why didn't he open it? Cain could no longer stay silent.

"Riff! Are you there, Riff?"

Cain shouted, but still there was no response.

"Riff! Please open the door! You must be in there!"

Cain began knocking rudely on the door and continued calling for his manservant.

The light was still on and one could hear more and more strange, but silent sounds.

But there was no response, after all.

"Riff! Open the door! This is an order!"

No response.

"Riff! Won't you obey me?"

No response.

Cain's voice became weak and more and more silent. He was powerless and trembled inside as if his body was paralyzed.

"Riff! Please!.....Please.....open the door...."

No response.

"Riff......please,.....don't ignore me!....."

No response.

"...Open the door, Riff.....you are hurting me..."

No response.

"...Please......why are you doing this to me?"

No response.

"...Riff...why?....Riff!...Riff!.."

No response.

-Silence-

"....Riff,.....you are killing me....."

Cain was sinking to the ground due to his inner exhaustion, but unexpectedly, the door was opening very slowly.

The Count immediately stood up and entered the room. He was looking for his servant and found him standing in front of a window not showing his front to his master.

Riff said nothing.

"Riff!...W-why didn't you answer? Riff! What's the matter?"

Cain approached Riff as he wanted to see the front of him. He simply wanted to look him at the face.

"M-my lord,.....I beg y-your apologize, I....I really didn't want you to worry..... but d-don't come near me, lord Cain.....p-please stay away from me and..... l-leave this room....immediately."

Riff spoke in a trembling voice and said that without turning his front to Cain.

"R-Riff?!....I...I don't understand....w-why do you say something like this?"

Cain hardly spoke. He was too shocked and his heart seemed to explode. He was staring desperately at the back of Riff and his lips put on a hopeless smile.

Anyway, the Count couldn't control himself so that he automatically approached Riff. He simply wanted to be near him, just feel his presence....

...Was that asking too much?

"M-my lord! Don't you listen? Plea-....."

But it was too late. Cain embraced Riff from behind...he was holding him very tight....but somehow, the Count was feeling his hands wet and warm. Cain began trembling and slowly, he took away his hands from Riff and looked at them.

They were red.

Cain quickly snapped at his servant's left arm and turned him rudely towards him so that he could finally see Riff's front. The Count couldn't believe it and widened his eyes because of that great shock.

"R-Riff,.....why everything's red?....Blood!....Riff! W-why are you bleeding?"

Cain didn't want to believe it, he was very anxious and every limb of his body was trembling. Then, he looked at Riff's face. He was smiling as gently as he always did.

"....D-don't take it seriously, m-my lord..... I'm always there for you, m-master Cain. S-so please calm down and......g-go to sleep. It's really late...."

Cain was in a mood to cry.

All of a sudden, he fell into Riff's arms and hugged him again. Cain clang to him very tightly. His clothes were dirtied by Riff's blood, but who the hell would care?

Suddenly, something really strange happened....

All the blood was gradually turning black after Riff had been touched by his master.

"Black? W-why everything's black now? Riff?"

The Count was looking desperately at his servant. Riff's whole body was turning black and his bright face was gone...

....Everything was dark.

"I apologise, my lord. I've done my best,..... seems it wasn't enough. I'm really sorry, my precious lord."

"Riff! Riff! Don't leave me, Riff! Please! Don't let me alone in this darkness! You are the only light for me, Riff! I'm blind without you! Please....."

Finally, Riff faded away....he simply disappeared with the darkness.

"No! Don't leave me, Riff! You've promised me! You've promised me, Riff....that you'll be always there for me....."

Cain was frozen, his eyes were widely opened, but empty,...he appeared as if he had turned into stone. Every hope was gone. Every light went out...

There was no warmth anymore.

Not even the tears which were running down his face were warm so that he would ever remark them.

"I've touched you, Riff....I've soiled you....Please forgive me, I've killed you........I've killed the person who was the dearest to me in this life....."

* * * *

He opened his eyes and noticed a warm hand touching his forehead.

It was Riff's hand.

Cain was shocked and automatically, he hit away the hand from him.

The young Count stood up covering himself with his blanket while sitting on his bed's corner, far away from Riff. He was sweated and couldn't stop trembling. His respiration was very fast so that he had great problems with breathing in and out.

"G-go away!.... D- don't t-touch me!....Y-you w-will turn....b-black! P-please,.... go away!"

Cain looked at Riff, his eyes widely opened and full of anxiety.

"Please, calm down, my lord. It was nothing, but a nightmare. You have to forget about it."

It was obvious that Riff was worrying about his master. He was feeling so painful watching every limb of his lord's weak body trembling. He couldn't stand it seeing him so afraid and perplexed. It really hurt him....how much he would have given for just calming down his lord, but it wasn't easy at all.

"Riff!.... P-please...y-you have t-to obey me! I d-don't want t-to lose you...It's just terrible..n-no....not you..."

Cain looked very seriously and he really meant those words he said.

Suddenly, Riff stood up and decided to leave his master alone for a while. Perhaps his presence would rather hinder his lord from calming down. Maybe the best was to leave him on his own....even if Riff didn't agree with that at all.

"I will obey, my lord. I beg your apologize for my disobedient behaviour."

Riff was heading for the door, but before he left, he had been staring at Cain and at last, he had added in a very true voice:

"...Please believe me, my dear lord.....I will never turn black, if I touch you.......and you could never dirty me...... it's rather the opposite...."

Finally, he left without being looked at by his master.

Cain was still sitting cramped on his bed while covering his trembling body with his blanket. He didn't really seem to be present, but his thoughts were caught in that horrible nightmare. The Count didn't appear to be aware of his situation, he was rather dead inside. His eyes looked cold and they stared at the emptiness.

His facial expression was showing desperation and sadness.

Suddenly, Cain heard the loud sound of thunder and it was that sound which woke him up.

He recognized that it was dark, stormy and raining outside....the surroundings were as similar as in his nightmare. But this time, the curtains were open and the crackling fire of the fireplace was lightening his room.

Cain finally stood up and looked at the clock. It was about ten at night.

All of a sudden, he took his coat and crept to the outside. Maybe he belonged there.....belonged to the rain, to the coldness and to the darkness.

There, he surely wouldn't hurt beloved people.


End file.
